Nail tech Cindy Hare doesn’t take chances with her clients’ nail health. For regular gel-polish clients, she applies a thin layer of clear hard gel as a barrier to protect the natural nail. “I have seen so much damage to the nails from gel-polish being soaked and scraped and the entire nail repeatedly being filed and buffed every two weeks — sometimes more often,” says Hare, owner of Cindy Hare Nail Design in Meridian, Idaho. “The hard gel goes down first as a foundation to the gel-polish service and gets filled every two weeks at the new growth. This way the natural nail stays protected because the hard gel doesn’t soak off,” she says. “I’m filling only new growth, so the nail doesn’t get thinned down to the point of being damaged. You can soak as usual or you can e-file off the color, leaving the barrier hard gel in place.”

As an added benefit, the gel-polish lasts longer. “I have clients who go three weeks and only have grow-out at the cuticle. The polish is in perfect condition with no chipping,” she says. “I explain to the client what I’m doing and why. I want them to know I care about the health of their natural nails. They are very happy about that and remain loyal from that point on.”